Battery provided with an old-or-new identification seal having a heat sensitive adhesive layer

ABSTRACT

In order to provide a battery comprising an old-or-new identification seal which is applicable to both the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal and is simple in terms of attaching operation, this specification discloses an old-or-new identification seal made of an insulating base material having a heat sensitive adhesive layer.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a battery comprising a seal attachedthereon which can be used for identifying the unused state of a battery,that is, whether the battery is new or old.

BACKGROUND ART

Hitherto, various methods have been devised for identifying the unusedstate, or the so-called virginity, of a battery.

For example, JP 52-72029, U discloses a sealing member for a positiveelectrode terminal surface comprising an insulating ring made of athermoplastic synthetic resin with a L-shaped cross section, and abridging band-like portion formed integrally with this.

However, there is a problem that this sealing member has a complexstructure thereby making the integral formation step itself complicated.Additionally, there is another problem that the installation of thesealing member on the positive electrode terminal surface is relativelydifficult. Further, this sealing member is not applicable to thenegative electrode terminal surface.

Next, JP 54-48934, U discloses an old-or-new classification plate fordry batteries obtained by providing small pores on the periphery of thecenter of an insulating thin plate such as paper, and applying anadhesive on a portion thereof other than the center. Further, JP58-169768, A discloses a sealing tape for dry batteries. This tape isobtained by applying an adhesive on one surface of a band-like tape bodyto cause a band-like film to adhere along the central portion of theresulting adhesive surface, causing the above film to adhere on a baseand forming the above film such that the sealing tape located at thecentral portion of the tape body can be stripped off by providing slits.

However, the adhesives described in these publications are ones havingthe so-called adhesiveness, and applicable to both the positiveelectrode terminal surface and the negative electrode terminal surface;however there is a problem that they are inferior in terms ofworkability in adhesion.

In view of such problem in the past, an object of the present inventionis to obtain a battery comprising an old-or-new identification sealattached thereon, which is applicable to both the positive electrodeterminal and the negative electrode terminal and is simple in terms ofthe attaching operation.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a battery comprising an old-or-newidentification seal made of an insulating base material having a heatsensitive adhesive layer, with the seal being attached on at least oneof the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminalvia the adhesive layer.

It is preferable that the insulating base material is made of aheat-shrinkable resin film.

Also, it is preferable that the seal has an adhesive-free layer on aportion thereof in contact with the positive electrode terminal surfaceand/or the negative electrode terminal surface.

Also, it is effective that the battery is covered with a heat-shrinkablesheathing material and the old-or-new identification seal is formedintegrally with the sheathing material.

Herein, “terminal surface” in the present invention refers to thesurface located on the outermost end portion of the terminal of thebattery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery comprising an identificationseal attached on the positive electrode terminal according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a battery comprising an identificationseal attached on the positive electrode terminal according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a battery comprising an identificationseal attached on the negative electrode terminal according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a battery comprising an identificationseal attached on the negative electrode terminal according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing how to provide a battery with anidentification seal formed integrally with a sheathing material inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a battery havingan identification seal formed integrally with a sheathing material inaccordance with the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a battery having at least one of apositive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal coveredwith an old-or-new identification seal (hereinafter, referred to as“identification seal”) made of a base material having a heat sensitiveadhesive layer via the adhesive layer.

Herein, the most remarkable feature of the present invention lies inthat a heat sensitive adhesive layer is provided on the identificationseal. The presence of such a heat sensitive adhesive layer allows theidentification seal to be attached on the positive electrode terminalsurface and/or the negative electrode terminal surface by heating onlythe heat sensitive adhesive layer portion. Further, owing to the heatsensitive adhesive layer, once the identification seal is stripped, itcannot be re-attached unless there is a heat source, resulting in anadvantage that the reliability in ensuring the virginity is improved.

The identification seal in the present invention is made of aninsulating base material having a heat sensitive adhesive layer.

The insulating base material is not specifically limited insofar as ithas insulation and, for example, can be bent to some extent so that itcan be attached along the positive electrode terminal and the negativeelectrode terminal of the battery. For example, paper and various resinfilms can be listed. Particularly, it is preferable to use aheat-shrinkable film in terms of the reliably that it covers theterminals close-tightly by being heat shrunk in conformity with theshape of the terminals so that the periphery of the identification sealis difficult to be caught to come off.

As the heat-shrinkable resin film, for example, it is possible to use amono- or multi-layered film (e.g., having a thickness of approximately0.01 to 0.2 mm) formed from polyester such as polyethyleneterephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene andpolyamide. As the above heat-shrinkable film, it is preferable to use afilm formed by being uniaxially or biaxially stretched so as to greatlyshrink in a circumferential direction when it is attached on a battery.

Also, as the heat sensitive adhesive which forms the heat sensitiveadhesive layer, for example, it is possible to use an adhesive formed byadding tackifiers such as rosin, petroleum resin and terpene resin, aplasticizer. a lubricant and the like to ethylene type resins such aspolyethylene, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, anethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer, an ethylene-acrylic acid copolymerand an ethylene-methyl methacrylate copolymer.

This heat sensitive adhesive is particularly preferable in the casewhere a heat-shrinkable film is used as the insulating base material.For example, by suitably selecting a temperature of heat sensitiveadhesion of the heat sensitive adhesive and that of heat shrinkage ofthe heat-shrinkable film, it is possible to change the order ofperforming the adhesion by the heat sensitive adhesive and theheat-shrinking of the heat-shrinkable film.

In the case where the temperature of heat sensitive adhesion of the heatsensitive adhesive is lower than that of heat shrinkage of theheat-shrinkable film, it is possible, during the attachment, to causethe identification seal to adhere first by gradual heating, followed byheat shrinking. Also, in the case where the temperature of heatsensitive adhesion of the heat sensitive adhesive is higher than that ofheat shrinkage of the heat-shrinkable film on the contrary, it ispossible, during the application of the identification seal, to heatshrink the identification seal first, followed by adhesion. From theviewpoint of providing the identification seal certainly without marringthe appearance, the former is considered preferable.

Next, the forms of the identification seal in accordance with thepresent invention will be explained by referring to drawings. It shouldbe noted that the forms of the identification seal in the presentinvention are not limited to these, insofar as at least one of thepositive electrode terminal surface and the negative electrode terminalsurface can be effectively sealed.

(1) As to the Positive Electrode Terminal

First, an example of the form of the identification seal for thepositive electrode terminal will be explained.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery comprising an identificationseal attached on the positive electrode terminal according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the battery in accordance with the present inventionis configured by attaching an identification seal 3 on a positiveelectrode terminal 2 of a battery body 1.

Herein, it is preferable that the identification seal 3 has a layer,which is formed by the application of a heat sensitive adhesive, on bothend portions 3′ in contact with the positive electrode terminal 2. Inthis manner, when only the end portions 3′ has the adhesive layer, it ispossible to attach the identification seal 3 on the positive electrodeterminal 2 by merely heating the top surface.

Also, if the heat sensitive adhesive layer is not provided, in otherwords, if an adhesive-free layer is provided, on the portion of theidentification seal 3 in contact with a positive electrode terminalsurface 2′, which is the outermost end portion of the positive electrodeterminal 2, there is an advantage that the identification seal 3 can bereadily removed.

Next, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a battery comprising anidentification seal attached on the positive electrode terminalaccording to another embodiment of the present invention.

Since the positive electrode terminal can take various shapes accordingto the type of the battery, it may be in a state in which theidentification seal 3 is attached on a portion of the positive electrodeterminal as shown in FIG. 2, insofar as at least the positive electrodeterminal surface 2′ in the positive electrode terminal 2 can be covered.Herein, the parts in FIG. 2 that are indicated with the same numberswith those in FIG. 1 are the same as those previously described.

(2) As to the Negative Electrode Terminal

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show how to attach the identification seal 3 of thepresent invention on a negative electrode terminal 5 of the battery body1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a battery comprising anidentification seal attached on the negative electrode terminalaccording to one embodiment of the present invention. Also, FIG. 4 is aperspective view of a battery comprising an identification seal attachedon the negative electrode terminal according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, a circular identification seal 3 capable of coveringthe entire surface of the negative electrode terminal 5 may be attached.However, in terms of ease of removal, it is preferable to provide theheat sensitive adhesive layer on the peripheral portion other than thenegative electrode terminal surface.

Also, the identification seal 3 may be in the shape of a band as shownin FIG. 3, and it is preferable not to provide the heat sensitiveadhesive layer on the portion of the negative electrode terminal 5 incontact with the negative electrode terminal surface 5′, but to provideit only on both end portions 3′ of the identification seal 3.

Herein, although the shapes of the identification seal were exemplifiedfor the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal,these shapes can be used interchangeably for the positive electrodeterminal and the negative electrode terminal in any combinations.Furthermore, the identification seal of the present invention can besuitably modified according to the shape of battery and not limited tothese forms.

(3) As to the Integral Formation With a Sheathing Material

Further, it is effective that the identification seal in the presentinvention is formed integrally with a sheathing material covering thebattery.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram showing how to provide a battery with anidentification seal formed integrally with a sheathing material inaccordance with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, it ispreferable that the identification seal 3 is formed integrally with asheathing material 6 and a perforation 7 is provided on the boundaryportion thereof. Also, it is effective that a heat sensitive adhesivelayer is provided on the surface of the identification seal 3 facing thepositive electrode terminal 2 and a margin without the heat sensitiveadhesive applied thereon is provided on the end portion 8 so as tofacilitate the removal of the identification seal 3.

Also, it is preferable that the heat sensitive adhesive layer is notprovided on the portion of the positive electrode terminal 2 in contactwith the positive electrode terminal surface 2′.

Next, FIG. 6 shows a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a batteryhaving an identification seal formed integrally with a sheathingmaterial in accordance with the present invention.

By pressing the portion indicated with the arrow shown in FIG. 6 whileheating, it is possible to attach the old-or-new identification seal 3on the positive electrode terminal 2, while covering the battery withthe sheathing material 6.

Since the end portion 8 is not attached by adhesion, pulling this allowsthe identification seal 3 to be readily stripped. Also, since the heatsensitive adhesive layer is not provided on the positive electrodeterminal surface 2′, the identification seal 3 can be easily removed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possibleto obtain a battery which is simple in terms of the attaching operationand is highly reliable in ensuring the virginity.

What is claimed is:
 1. A battery comprising an old-or-new identificationseal made of an insulating base material having a heat sensitiveadhesive layer, said seal being attached on at least one of a positiveelectrode terminal surface and a negative electrode terminal surface viasaid adhesive layer.
 2. The battery in accordance with claim 1, whereinsaid insulating base material is made of a heat-shrinkable resin film.3. The battery in accordance with claim 1, wherein said old-or-newidentification seal has an adhesive-free layer on a portion thereof incontact with said positive electrode terminal surface and/or saidnegative electrode terminal surface.
 4. The battery in accordance withclaim 1, wherein said battery is covered with a heat-shrinkablesheathing material, and said old-or-new identification seal is formedintegrally with said sheathing material.
 5. The battery in accordancewith claim 1, wherein said seal is configured to be removably attachedon at least one of the positive electrode terminal surface and thenegative electrode terminal surface.